


Like a Phoenix From the Ashes

by ravenflower



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gore warning, death of a minor, seriously this is a messed up fic, trigger warning, violence against a child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-11
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 20:24:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4318785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenflower/pseuds/ravenflower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just so the child was reborn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like a Phoenix From the Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, I'm on a Universe roll. Alrighty, I'm certainly not complaining.  
> This is your last warning. There is quite a bit of blood and gore in this fic. Proceed with caution.

Pearl dodged beneath  the sweep of giant claws, her breathe in heaving, pained snaps. She gripped her spear so tightly that if she wasn't naturally very pale, her knuckles would be white. The beast glared down at her and screeched. She throttled a cry of terror and darted out of it's reach. The dry, crimson soil beneath her feet puffed up in clouds with her frantic movements as she attempted to find a weak point to stick her spear into. She glared up into the creature's eyes, attempting to find some composure. The giant, cat-like monstrosity screamed in rage once more, trotting a half-circle so as to block it's prey's exit. It's head came rocketing down, it's fanged mouth gaping as it aimed to engulf the Gem, once one of it's own kind, into it's maw. Pearl leaped gracefully out of the way and onto the creatures snout, running upwards onto it's furry head. She took scarcely a moment to use her vantage point to observe her surroundings.

Garnet darted underneath the creature's vast belly, leaping upwards and punching into it's stomach. The monster wheezed with the sudden loss of air and moved backward one step. Amethyst was out of Pearl's range of vision, but judging by the giant feline's shriek as it stumbled back, raising one of it's hind paws, she guessed that the short purple gem had gotten a hold on one of it's feet with her whip. The monster writhed, and Pearl cried out as her balance became much more shaky. She tumbled backwards onto the narrow back of the creature. She grabbed a handful of striped, mangy  fur and attempted to right herself, but once again the feline shook itself and she fell. As she roughly hit the ground, she coughed as more dust was stirred by her landing. She saw nearby dust-clouds stir and then heard a sharp, high cry of concern. "Pearl!" The Gem heaved and gasped, looking up from where she lay on her stomach, propped on one elbow. She looked up at the quickly approaching figure. Her eyes widened as she beheld the form of a child running toward her. The golden star emblazoned on his shirt left no doubt as to who it was.

She struggled to her feet hurriedly, and when Steven was no more than a few feet away, she screamed in hysterics, " _Steven, **no!** Go back to the temple!"  _ The dark-haired boy shook his head, and, yelling to be heard over the rumbling, siren-like growls of the monster, replied, "No! Let me help you!" He was by her side when the feline swept it's paw toward them once again. Steven held up his arm, and Rose's shield manifested before the huge, razor-like claws could hurt the either of them. There was a low metallic screech like a chainsaw on steel as the monster dragged it's claws across the round barrier, leaving huge white scratches across the surface.

Pearl grabbed Steven's wrist. He cried out in surprise as she began to drag him toward the warp. He struggled, protesting verbally. Pearl wasn't listening in her hurry to get him away from the battle. She heard Steven cry out in fear, and she felt the vibrations in the ground, meaning the corrupted Tiger's Eye was following after them.

She gasped as she felt the pads of giant paws wrap around her waist, taking Steven with her. In panicked reflex she pulled a spear from her forehead and stabbed down into it's toes. The corrupted gem shrieked in pain and anger, tossing her into the air and batting her toward the ground. She watched from her prone position as it proceeded to bat Rose's baby into the air. She saw that's it's claws were out, and that as Steven began to fall, it batted up, viciously digging it's claws into his chest before retracting the sword-like nails into the pads of it's feet and batting him once more, letting him fall. A scream of horror ripped out of Pearl's throat before she could stop it.

She looked up in hatred at the corrupted Tiger's Eye. She clutched her spear and got to her feet. At this point, all empathy for the monster had been violently ripped away. She planned to shatter it's gem.

She startled as, suddenly, the huge feline creature disappeared into a cloud of smoke, and it's striped, orange gem clattered to the ground. Garnet ran quickly to where the gem had landed and promptly bubbled it. There was a white flash as it was sent to the temple. She heard Garnet's heavy rasping breath, and, in the short distance, she saw Amethyst approaching at a quick clip. Garnet's shades had been partially shattered, and she saw anxiety in one purple eye. Garnet knew what had happened.

Steven gasped, attempting to rasp in air to feed his punctured lungs, and coughed, bringing up bubbling pink and red blood.He felt something wet and warm rapidly spread over his chest. He lay on his back, and tried to shift himself onto his side. His chest burned in protest. He flopped back, wheezing. He'd never felt so much pain in his entire life.  _"Now I guess I know what Pearl felt like when the Holo-Pearl got her,"_ he thought weakly. He heard the concerned and anguished cry from the very Gem. _  
_

Pearl ran over to her young charge, her two teammates following closely. She fell to her knees, gathering the young boy in her arms. She jostled Steven in her arms, calling out to him as if he were very far away."Steven! Steven, stay with us! Stay awake!" He tilted his chin up to look at her. She was alarmed to see that his eyes were rapidly losing their light. She  saw that his shirt had been shredded. There were puncture marks in his chest,and they were bleeding. Some of the marks stretched, and through them Pearl could see a pulsing muscle in Steven's chest that was slowing. She shifted her focus ever so slightly downward. Her eyes widened to see that despite all the abuse Steven's body had taken, his gem was intact. There were no cracks. She focused on his face once more. His eyes looked like those of a doll. They were glassy and faded. He was grinning weakly. A breath heaved out of him, and his eyes slid shut as he fell limp. 

Pearl froze. Then, she shook and, slowly, her body began to heave with sobs. She heard a choked gasp from her left, where Amethyst had come to her side. She looked to her right, where Garnet stood, rigid but trembling, tears running from beneath her shades. She felt Amethyst press her cheek against her arm. Teardrops ran down her biceps. Pearl closed her eyes and hunched over as saltwater ran down her nose.

Suddenly, something rigid and round ballooned against her chest and neck. She gasped in surprise and let it fall from her arms. She beheld an almost transparent, pink sphere in front of her. In the center, there was a silhouette. She stared in shock. She heard Garnet breathe in wonder. Amethyst whispered, her cheek still pressed to the pale Gem's arms, " _He can do that?"_

Pearl shuddered, and, resting her face on the orb's surface, once more began to sob.

 

 


End file.
